Realize
by klarinetgrrl
Summary: Several One Shots of Bella and Edward.
1. Underneath My Christmas tree

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight. Or Edward. Or any other characters from the book.

"Bella. Sweetheart. What are you doing?" Edward asked, concern etched on his beautiful face, his bronze eyes staring at Bella's body.

"Laying under the Christmas tree." Bella answered, peering between a few branches to look at Edward. Clad in a pair of soft dark blue jeans and a tight white t-shirt, Bella was laying underneath the Christmas tree, her arms being her head and the Christmas lights plugged in.

"Why?"

"It's pretty down here. A world all my own. Renee and I would put the Christmas tree up early every year and we would lay underneath and look up. Come here," Bella said, gently patting the floor next to her with her hand.

"Where are the others?" Edward asked warily, not wanting to get caught look up the Christmas tree.

"Jaz and Em went hunting. Esme took Alice, Rose and Renesme out shopping. I would assume Carlisle is at the l'hopital," Bella replied, using the French name for hospital. Languages were Bella's new passion, using any whenever she could replace an English word with that of English, French, Italian, Russian or Swahili. It drove the rest of the family nuts, switching from one language to another so quickly.

"So this is why you were so ecstatic we were putting up the tree," Edward said, walking over to Bella and bending down and so the majority of his weight was on the balls of his feet.

"Yes. Come join me," Bella said, smiling at Edward and patting the space next to her again.

"All right, all right," Edward sighed lightly, laying down next to Bella and look up at the myriad of colors swirling above him.

"Isn't it beautiful," Bella asked in awe, turning large bronze eyes to Edward.

"It pales in comparison to your beauty."

"Oh, Edward," Bella sighed, knowing if she could blush, she would.

"So this is why you insisted on multi colored lights."

"Yes. There was one year Renee insisted on an all white tree. It was pretty, but nowhere near as beautiful as this."

"So what did you and Renee and do while under the tree?"

"We talked, sometimes, most of the time we just sat in silence. Or we put a Christmas cd on. It was one of the few times I could get my mom to sit still," Bella laughed lightly at the memory.

Gently, Bella slid over and placed her head on Edward chest and his arm snaked around her. Edward's button down shirt felt soft and smooth under Bella's cheek as she moved it back and forth, much like a cat rubbing around it's owner. Edward's hand slipped under the hem of Bella's shirt, letting his fingers run up and down. Bella sighed contentedly.


	2. Mistletoe and Christmas memories

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own Twilight. If I did, Edward would be real and sitting next to me, reading out loud everything I type.

The bitter cold seeping through the poorly insulated windows into the old house, chilled Bella to the bone through the several layers of long johns, worn jeans, tank top, long sleeved t-shirt, t-shirt, hooded sweatshirt lined with faux fur and blanket draped over her shoulders. Charlie rarely put the heat on past 65, even when Bella begged him on these particularly cold days. Even if he did, the cold outside still would have left a bitterness that refused to disappear. Often times, Bella just added more blankets or started a fire in the fireplace. Soft pops and cracks drifted through the room now, burning wood filling Bella's nostrils as she took a deep breath. She'd always enjoyed the warm woodsy campfire smell.

"Here ya go, love," Edward sighed, bringing Bella a cup of hot cocoa steam swirling up into the air around the mug.

"Thank you," Bella said, eagerly taking the steaming snowman mug from Edward. It had been a recent purchase of Bella's. One she used everyday. Gently, she blew into the mug trying to cool the liquid enough so it wouldn't burn her tongue.

"You know it would be easier to stay warm if you moved to the couch rather than sit next to a window that isn't properly insulated."

"I know. But it's so pretty out there," Bella sighed wistfully, turning to look away from Edward and back out the window, pulling her legs up to help keep her body as warm as possible. Outside, the ground was completely covered from the snowstorm that happened early this morning. The snow was only mildly disturbed by Charlie's footprints when he had hurried out and Edward's footprints and tire tracks from his reappearance this morning.

A thin layer of white flaky snow covered the branches of the otherwise bare trees, glistening in the bright afternoon sun. Bella sighed contentedly. Edward lifted her lightly, carefully placing her on his lap as they looked outside at the breath taking view.

"It's nice having a white Christmas." Bella said, sipping her hot cocoa. The warm liquid easily slid down her throat, warming Bella from the inside out.

"It is. Too bad Charlie got called out to help with all the accidents and everything this morning," Edward murmured.

"It's ok. It's giving us a few hours alone." Bella's gaze flickered up to the top of the window before a slow smile slowly spread across her face, her eyes lighting up.

"What is it, love?" Edward asked, his eyes followed the path her eyes had taken to the top of the windowsill and a small tuft of green plastic leaves and white berries. "Mistletoe?"

"Yup," Bella giggled lightly, placing her hot cocoa down on a small end table. Slowly, she turned, straddling Edward between her knees. Carefully, she pushed her lips against his. Edward's arms snaked around her and deepened the kiss slowly. Letting her kiss him for a moment before he put a hand up and gently pushed her away.

"Bella…"

"I know, I know. I couldn't resist, though," Bella said, smiling lightly before turning back around and snuggling into Edward's chest, pulling her blanket tighter around her shoulders. Bella leaned forward, picking up a remote from the end table and pushed play. Soft Christmas music wafted through the living room. Bella placed the remote back down and picked up her hot cocoa sipping it contentedly.

"You know we could go to my house. It's much warmer there."

"We could. But your family is there. Nothing against them, but I am enjoying having you all to myself. Plus, I've barely started my hot cocoa."

"Alice is looking forward to giving you her present."

"Just a bit longer, then we can head over."

"Okay."

"So here's a question."

"Yes love?"

"Do you normally celebrate the holidays? I mean, after a hundred years of Christmases…"

"Yes," Edward chuckled, his chest bouncing gently against Bella's back. "Alice adores every holiday. Especially Christmas and Halloween."

"But the house wasn't even decorated yesterday."

"Oh, it absolutely is now. Rosalie won't let her decorate until Christmas Eve. I wouldn't let her decorate until you were far, far away from her wrath."

"What's your favorite Christmas memory?"

"This one. Right now."

"Before me, what was your fave Christmas memory?" Bella said, a soft pink color tinting her cheeks at Edward's words.

"Hmm… The last Christmas as a human. My mother… She was so excited. My parents didn't have much money, but she had hid as much as she could for Christmas for a few small toy presents for me. My father… He was just beginning to become sick with the flu." Edward whispered softly, a distant look taking over his features. "It's the only memory I have left of being human."

Bella listened intently. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

Edward smiled crookedly before he said, "What about you?'

"Uhhh. Probably the first Christmas my parents divorced. It was the first happy Christmas I remember. Renee was so unhappy in their marriage, and Charlie… He wasn't around much. Renee and I baked Christmas cookies like there would never be another Christmas. Renee's parents took us in for a while. It was the first and last year Grandpa dragged Renee and I out to chop down our own Christmas tree and Grandma made this elaborate Christmas dinner. Grandpa read the night before Christmas and Grandma played Christmas carols."

Bella sat quietly, reliving the moment, a smile lifting up the corners of her lips.

"It sounds wonderful."

"It was." Bella sipped from her mug of cocoa, effectively ending the conversation, and the two sat companionable silence, looking out at the snow.

**So, I've kinda been using these one shots as a writing exercise on detail. Detail of setting up the scene, what's in the room and how the characters are feeling. . That kind of stuff. If you read and review with a one shot you would like to see in this story, I'll try my best to write it. =)**


	3. Watch the sky

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Twilight related. If I did, Edward would never leave my room. Ever.

A/N: So I noticed these one shots aren't in any sort of order. Bella is A Vampire in the first, but not in the second. Definitely not a vamp in this one. Really, there is no rhyme or reason to it. Just whatever triggers my fancy. =)

As always, it'd been raining in forks. For days. For weeks. For months. At this point, I'd lost count how much time had passed since the last sunny day. The gloomy gray skies could bring down even the most upbeat of optimists. Which I definitely was not.

I'm an Arizona girl. Raised on sunshine and extreme dry heat. Not rain. Or snow for that matter. So the darkness and forever rain drenched houses and grass baffled me beyond comprehension. Rain slicked sidewalks didn't help the uncoordinated, either. It all kept me indoors rather than outdoors. Even though I was pale, I at least liked the option of studying outside. I once read about a special kind of depression found in the states where it rained and snowed a lot. This particular depression was brought on to most of the population and lasted until the bright summer months. Something about lack of sunshine caused it. I was skeptical about it until I moved back to Forks.

But being indoors for so long… Was beginning to give me cabin fever. You know, pretty much scratching at the walls trying to get out. Picking fights with Edward wanting to get out. Painting my fingernails because I'm so bored wanting to get out. I don't paint my nails. Ever. I am not that kind of girl.

It wasn't helping that even the vampires were feeling the extremes of cabin fever. Because Edward refused to leave my side. And the others stayed out of support. Even though they didn't feel the cold, barely felt the rain. They were there. Going stir crazy as well.

Emmett and Edward were literally swinging from the chandeliers in the house. Literally. It immediately shocked and horrified me the first time Emmett did it before I realized he was a vampire and falling would hurt the house more than him. Then the merciless laughter had started. From everyone. Even Edward who had seen it in Emmett's head and Alice who had witnessed it before it happened. This gave Edward the perfect distraction for me to slip out. I'm surprised Alice didn't stop me. Or maybe she saw all the scenarios ending badly if she did try to stop me or let on to Edward of my intentions.

The rain had finally slowed to a drizzle. Not done raining but slow enough where I didn't care. Where I wouldn't be completely soaked to the bone if I ventured out. My rain jacket would keep all of the essentials dry.

Taking a deep breath, I let the smell of fresh air fill my lungs. Rain, grass, mud, leaves. I ventured a few steps out, my sneakers squish, squish, squishing in the mud. My legs propelled me a little ways into the wooded area, the mud squishing less. I bend down and lightly feel the grass. Damp. But not too muddy. I drop down, laying on my back. The dampness barely soaking through my jeans. I didn't care. I was glad for the freedom. Glad for the alone time. Glad not to be inside for a little while.

My eyes slid shut, letting the sounds overtake me. The wind whistled softly, rustling the few strands of hair that escaped my hood. A wolf howled far in the distance. Was it Jake? Or a real wolf? Thunder rumbled in the far distance. Some small creature skittered over the dead leaves somewhere to my left. A door opened, then closed. My bets were on Edward. Finally noticing my absence. I felt his cold hand against my face rather than hearing the soft pad of footsteps I would have heard if it'd been Charlie. Or Jake. Or anyone who wasn't one of the Cullens.

"You disappeared, love." His voice was careful, soft, more velvety than usual. Almost like he didn't want to disturb the peace.

"Cabin fever." The words sighed out of me as I pushed my face into his hand.

"Come on, love. We don't want you to get sick."

"Edward…" I finally opened my eyes to find him crouching over me and looking at me expectantly, offering his hand to help me up.

"Love?"

"Five more minutes." I pleaded.

"Alice says a storm is brewing. We have a few minutes before we get caught in the torrential downpour." Edward informed me.

"Fine," I sighed, taking his proffered hand, letting him pull me into a standing position. Giving me a crooked grin, Edward pulled me onto his back and darted to the back porch, the sky opening up and the rain pouring down in fast big droplets.

"Just in time," I sighed, slowly climbing off Edward's back and falling into the wicker loveseat that was more for show. Edward sat next to me, pulled my back into him, my muddy sneakers draping over the arm of the loveseat.

We sat and watched the rain fall in content silence.


End file.
